LIVERPOOL always maintained this most enthralling of title races would throw up a few more twists and turns before its conclusion.

LIVERPOOL always maintained this most enthralling of title races would throw up a few more twists and turns before its conclusion. Their fans having to wish Arsenal well over the final few hurdles was surely not what they had in mind.

An arduous, traumatic and yet pivotal season for Gerard Houllier's team came to an abrupt halt on Saturday when the events and triumphs of the last eight months at Anfield were placed firmly in context as a cause for congratulations.

If only it was that simple.

The grim reality of dropping out of the fight for Premiership supremacy stared the Reds full in the face this weekend, and it was not a pretty sight.

Not only did hopes of a first championship in 12 years disappear at White Hart Lane but the prospect of Manchester United pushing the Gunners to the wire and pipping Liverpool to the second automatic Champions League spot in the process also emerged in a sickening aftermath.

For a campaign in which Liverpool closed the gap and drew up alongside their great rivals, before, during and after that now-infamous 11-point winter lead, that is one consequence too heavy to take.

Barring a monumental collapse by Arsenal and United, however, that is what this season's finale now comes down to.

With 80 points still a real possibility Houllier remained understandably proud and defiant after Tottenham had thrown their own north London rivals a huge favour and made it High Noon for the Reds in more ways than the kick-off time.

But even as he savoured his team's latest step forwards, the disappointment at slipping up in the home straight - and the manner in which they fell to Spurs - shone through.

Having announced their return to title fray with authority and a ruthlessness that befits the leading pack this season, Liverpool exited the party with barely a whimper.

That was the deepest disappointment in the immediate wake of the Reds' first league defeat since January 9, and the reaction that could have farreaching implications for some of their squad.

As Houllier spoke of how far Liverpool have come since missing out on Champions League football on the final day of the 1999-2000 season at Bradford, he declared their subsequent entry into the UEFA Cup a blessing in disguise.

The parallels of this late upset in Premiership terms are clear.

Experience and improvement made outside Europe's grandest stage helped Liverpool immeasurably this term and kept rampant expectation levels in check. Now with a taste of the title race in his young squad, Houllier's men can return more mature and wiser. And fine-tuned.

Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Tottenham served to highlight what Liverpool's manager already knew, what Bayer Leverkusen exposed in the Champions League and what the Premiership-table tells today; the Reds require more quality before they can bring home to Anfield once more the Holy Grail of the Premiership title.

Too often when Steven Gerrard misses out, as a late groin problem meant on Saturday, Liverpool lack the drive and guile to dominate in midfield as they so regularly do in defence and attack.

That was painfully apparent after Gustavo Poyet fired Tottenham into a 41st-minute lead on Saturday and ultimately pierced the Reds' title dream.

Liverpool could have been 3-2 up after 20 minutes following a blistering opening by both sides that satisfied the visitors' championship hunger and raised questions over Tottenham's league position.

But as the chances began to flash everywhere but past the inspired Kasey Keller in the Spurs goal, doubts, tension, title nerves, call it what you will, got the better of the Reds and produced a sterile secondhalf display.

Suspicions Arsenal would get no help from Spurs abounded early on as selfconfessed Highbury- hater Teddy Sheringham put two glorious chances wide inside the first four minutes and Poyet twice completely mis-kicked on the edge of the Liverpool box.

Unfortunately for Liverpool, Keller did not share in his team-mates' casual start.

A fabulous one-handed stop from Sami Hyypia's towering header set the tone for Liverpool's afternoon of frustration, which increased further when Mauricio Taricco cleared Emile Heskey's effort off the line from the subsequent corner.

It should have been case of third header lucky for Liverpool when John Arne Riise met Dietmar Hamann's cross at full stretch on 11 minutes. Keller was finally beaten, but the ball cannoned off the base of his post.

While having the upper hand for the opening half hour Liverpool always looked vulnerable to Tottenham's tendency to spread the play wide and send inviting crosses behind Hyypia and Stephane Henchoz.

Poyet was denied by Abel Xavier's immaculate tackle and a goal-line block by the Swiss defender, before volleying a clear opening inches wide of Jerzy Dudek's goal in the 40th minute.

Less than 60 seconds later though, the Uruguayan made no mistake when Simon Davies turned back Darren Anderton's deep cross at the far post, and the unmarked Poyet pounced from 10 yards out.

Conceding a goal just before the break is always trouble, but the biggest problem was the Liverpool response. Or rather the lack of one.

Despite having nearly an hour to fightback and take their title aspirations into the finale, Liverpool were found wanting.

Michael Owen conjured up a moment of magic to sidestep two Spurs defenders only for his first shot to be blocked by an outstretched boot and his second to flash past the far post.

But that was as close as the Reds ever came, even with every available attacking option on the pitch for the finale and Vladimir Smicer moved from attack to the right wing in the second half but to no effect.

Only an hour had gone when the Spurs fans, ignoring the help their impressive team were offering Arsenal, revelled in chants of 'Ole!' every time a white shirt touched the ball. But there was no raging bull to rise to that red rag.